Repercussions
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: Characters are Damon/Stefan/Elena. The brothers have returned from New Orleans and Damon was supposed to break the sire bond. He just couldn't do it when Elena pleaded with him not to. Every action has a reaction and sometimes there are repercussions. We all have to live with them. ** I shouldn't have to say it but I will – Not Fluff!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

~ X ~

Elena had won last night. She stopped Damon from breaking the sire bond but she was running scared. Would she be able to persuade him again tonight? She wanted to feel safe, secure in his love.

She ostensibly left for school, knowing Damon had plans for the morning. She knew she wouldn't see Stefan there since he no longer kept up the charade of attending classes. He had spent last night at Caroline's, sneaking in after the sheriff had gone to bed, bunking down on his friend's bedroom floor.

Elena left during a morning period and rushed home to confront Stefan. She found him in his bedroom, sitting at his desk, writing in a journal. He looked up surprised, so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard her enter the house. His eyes were watchful as he studied her, leaning against the doorframe, playing with a strand of her hair. He firmly closed the diary using the pen as a place holder.

"Whass up?" He asked cautiously, glancing at the clock on his desk. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

She slowly walked in saying. "We need to talk Stefan."

Stefan, eyes wary now, leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I'm listening."

She came further into the room, allowing her fingers to brush over various things, and sat on his bed. He winced at the casual way she sat. No self consciousness over the nights she had spent in that bed. No recognition that she really didn't belong in his bedroom anymore.

He abruptly said. "Let's go downstairs." wanting to get to neutral territory, seeking to get away from memories that were just painful now.

She seemed surprised. "Why? Here's as good as anyplace."

He abruptly suppressed the little pang in his heart at her seeming callousness. After all she was sired. She couldn't be held responsible.

She took his shrug as a sign that she could continue. She ran her fingers over the spread before meeting his eyes.

"I've never wanted to lie to you Stefan. You know that, right?"

He nodded agreement. "Yeah." He said softly.

That made her smile. This would be easy. "Well, I need you to know that Damon and I are sleeping together. Have been since I came here the first night. I wanted to tell you the next morning but he said no. He didn't say I couldn't now."

He stiffened and his jaw clenched but he gave no other outward sign of how much that hurt him. That she jumped from his bed to his brother's without a twinge of guilt.

"I love him Stefan. You have no idea how much." She looked dreamy for a moment, then sighed and looked brightly at him. "I need you to understand that."

Stefan swallowed, trying to wet his dry mouth. Trying to find a way to say what he needed to say without breaking a promise. "Elena." He fumbled. "I . . . I know your emotions are heightened now and you thi . . "

She abruptly cut him off. "I know about the sire bond. Caroline told me. Damon agreed last night that he wouldn't break it."

Her voice rose now and she was vehement. "I don't want the bond broken Stefan. I want to be with Damon. I'll hate you if you try to come between us."

Stefan didn't hear anything beyond the words 'he wouldn't break it'.

He sat stunned. His brother had lied to him again. He opened and closed his mouth several times but no words came out.

"Elena." He tried again. "We're trying to find a cure for you. We're trying to make you human again."

"Don't Stefan." She leaned forward, her eyes on fire. "I know what you're doing. Jeremy told me."

She stabbed a finger at him. "I like the way I am now. Damon likes the way I am now. You're the only one that doesn't like me this way."

Her agitation made her lips tremble. "If you change me back, I'll just make Damon turn me again. You can't see who I am. You see who you want to see. Don't make me hate you."

He sat for a moment, shoulders hunched, reeling from the verbal blows she dealt. When Stefan looked at her again it was as if he was seeing her for the first time. "You're right. I don't see who you both are."

His face twisted with emotion as he softly spoke. "You aren't the girl I fell in love with. She died. I just didn't recognize it."

He straightened up and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "I won't push Damon to break the bond Elena."

A delighted smile lit her entire face making her eyes shine. "It'll be so wonderful Stefan. We'll see the world together. The three of us. We'll be a family. Damon will be so happy."

She leaned towards him. "Damon wants his little brother back." She spoke earnestly.

"Right Katherine. Just the three of us." Stefan deliberately spoke the words, well aware of the irony of what he was saying.

Elena was startled but quickly laughed. She got up and walked over to give Stefan a playful slap on the chest. "No Stefan. I'm Elena."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to hug him, resting her head against his, so glad that things would work out.

He quickly removed her arms from around him, standing and pushing her away. "My mistake." Was all he said.

Elena blinked when he put distance between them but let it go. "I can't wait to tell Damon. He'll be so happy."

Stefan jerked his head. "Just don't do it right away. Wait until after school when he comes home and then we can celebrate together."

She was so excited she didn't notice how stiffly he moved and spoke. She thought a moment. "We'll need more Dom."

Stefan felt like he was losing it and knew his mask would slip soon. He grabbed her upper arm and urged her out the door and down the stairs.

As he escorted her out the front door she stopped on the threshold wanting to assure him. "I do care about you Stefan. I remember that I loved you once."

He was so distracted he didn't even realize how he answered her. "Great. Thanks."

He closed the door pushing her back and out. She stood for a moment, her nose a hair's breath from the wooden panel before she shrugged and walked away.

He felt a deep sob well up in his chest but he clamped down on it, knowing she would hear. He waited until he heard her car leave and then allowed his forehead to rest against the wooden frame.

"I can't do this. I just can't do this."


	2. Chapter 2

He pressed his forehead against the wood frame, arms spread wide to support his weight. He heaved dry sobs, overcome by a feeling of betrayal. Those he loved most had deceived him. His brother had lied to him. The thought kept running through his mind over and over again until it made him sick to his stomach.

He steeled his resolve and pushed himself up off the wall. He gulped in deep breaths trying to steady himself. As the sick feeling gradually dispersed it was replaced by a blind red rage. He frantically tried to control it but knew he was failing. He cast his mind around wildly, looking for an out, looking for help. He thought about Caroline and then rejected her. She could only sympathize, not fix.

Desperate now, a thought sprang unbidden into his mind. _This has to end._

He stood stock still, thinking, remembering old betrayals, and he made his decision. He raced at vampire speed up to his room. He turned slowly in a circle looking at the accumulation of items that represented his entire life. It meant nothing now. He felt the rage burning in his belly and this time he allowed it to build, gain strength, and overtake him.

He grabbed his guitar and threw it so hard at the window that it shattered the glass and fell to the ground, splintering into tiny shards. Everything that was uniquely his followed. His diaries, his books, his mementos. Out the window onto the driveway below.

He grabbed his emergency stash of cash and enough clothes for several days. The remainder went out the window to join the rest of his things. Working at vampire speed the room was quickly emptied of any traces of its soon to be former occupant.

His next stop was the garage. He flung up the overhead door and found the tool he wanted. He hefted the sledge hammer and moved with determination towards his little red sports coupe. He had a change of heart at the last moment and flung the hammer away. Instead he pulled the title out of the glove compartment and signed it over to Matt. _Least I can do for him._

He left the title on the passenger seat. Damon or someone would find it and hand it over. And if they didn't, not his problem.

He wheeled his heavy bike out of the garage and strapped his backpack on it. He headed back to the garage for a couple of gas cans. The full cans gave him his only moment of amusement that day.

_Good thing we Salvatores are always prepared to burn the evidence._

He whooshed over to the scattered piles on the driveway. He quickly mounded items into a circle, soaking it with gasoline, and then adding additional layers, thoroughly soaking each one. He looked for a moment at the mound that was the sum total of his life and death on this earth. He spared a glance at the boarding house that symbolized his birthplace.

It was time to let go. Let go of dreams of home, family, loved ones. He lit a match and tossed it on the pyre. The flames quickly became so hot they singed his face. The house was safe; the flames wouldn't travel over the macadam surface, not that he really cared.

_Time to leave it all behind._

He jumped on his bike and kicked started it. He roared off the property for the last time.

~ X ~

Damon surprised Elena at school, sneaking in when he knew she had a free period. He craftily snuck up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck.

"Surprise." He joked.

She turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck kissing him warmly and deeply. He returned the kiss with enthusiasm. When they broke she kissed her way up his neck to his ear.

"You're not the only one with a surprise." She murmured in his ear.

"I'm not?" He smiled, enjoying the delicate teasing sensation of her warm breath in his ear.

"Nope." Her voice was smug. "I talked to Stefan this morning and everything's all set."

Damon froze as her words sunk in. He detached her arms from around his neck and holding her by the upper arms, pushed her back so he could look at her face.

"What?" He demanded, frowning. "What did you say to him?"

Elena smiled and tried to kiss him again but he held her away from him.

She gave a little pout and told him. "I told him that we slept together and that you weren't going to break the sire bond and send me away."

"You didn't." He shook her. "Tell me you didn't."

The alarm in his voice upset her and she attempted to soothe him. "Don't worry. It's okay. I told him the three of us would be together. He was okay with it. I let him know I remembered when I used to love him. Really! He's fine. He told me to wait until tonight to tell you but we're going to celebrate with Dom and everything."

Damon looked at her horrified. How could she think Stefan would be okay with this?

He wasted no time. "Go to your next class. I'll meet you tonight."

"But Da . . " Elena protested.

"GO BACK TO CLASS." He ordered.

He was gone before she had turned around to obey.

He raced to his blue convertible and pealed out of the school yard. He broke the speed limit heading to the boarding house. As he got close he heard the unmistakable noise of fire engines and saw black smoke swirling up in the sky. He turned into the driveway only to find that a fire engine had beaten him there. The firemen were unrolling hoses ready to extinguish a roaring blaze on the driveway.

He took one look at the pyre and raced upstairs to his brother's bedroom. The broken window and ransacked room told its own story. He thought quickly and headed for the garage. He spotted the title on the passenger seat of the little red car and noted the bike was gone.

He walked out, his steps slow but his mind working furiously. He was confronted by the local fire chief holding two empty gasoline cans and pontificating about arson.

He quickly compelled the man into believing it was all a mistake.

He walked away, to lean against his convertible, thinking what his brother would do. He had obviously left. How would he travel if he wanted to escape him? Whenever Stefan had wanted to leave town without being followed he had used trains. If you traveled on locals and paid cash for the tickets you couldn't be traced and you could cover a lot of territory quickly.

Damon gave a decisive nod. His brother was upset and not thinking straight. He would fall back into his old habits. Damon jumped into his car and sped towards the nearest train station.


	3. Chapter 3

He pulled into the parking lot and circled, spotting the bike parked in the designated bicycle and motorcycle area. Now that he knew Stefan was here he parked the car and practically ran inside. The terminal was fairly empty since the morning rush hour commute was long over and the afternoon one hadn't started. His brother was sitting on one of the long benches, a bag on the floor between his feet.

He slowed down and walked over. He stood for a moment waiting for his brother to acknowledge him but Stefan was obviously preoccupied and gave no indication he was aware that Damon was there.

"Stefan." Damon said softly. "We need to talk."

Stefan started and looked around wildly. He slid over a few inches on the polished bench.

"Just talk." Damon soothed, afraid his brother would bolt.

Stefan eyes were harder and wilder than Damon had seen in a long time.

"Everything's been said over and over again and it means what it always has. Absolutely nothing." Stefan's voice was resigned.

Damon reached out a hand to touch his brother's shoulder but Stefan flinched back. Damon sighed deeply and sat down on the opposite bench, giving his brother space. He cradled his forehead in his hand and tried to marshal his thoughts into some kind of coherent order.

"Let me explain." Damon implored. "It's not what you think."

Stefan gave a harsh laugh, staring at his clasped hands, hanging loosely between his legs. "What isn't what I think Damon? That the two of you tumbled into bed the moment we broke up? That you tried to hide it from me? That you won't break the sire bond?"

Damon closed his eyes briefly. He placed his hands on his knees and bent forward towards his brother, willing him to understand. "She begged me not to break the bond Stefan. I couldn't hurt her like that. I need to figure out how to do this without doing more harm than good."

He threw up his hands. "I love her Stefan. I don't deny it. You know it. But I'll find a way. I just couldn't do it then."

Damon couldn't see his brother's face. His head was bowed but he noticed that the knuckles were white with tension.

Stefan spoke without raising his head. "I've had enough Damon. Enough of the lies, the empty promises. Enough of the hate. I need to get away from you forever."

Damon swallowed and tried again. "Please . . for once try to see it from my side. I can't hurt her. I will do what's right. I just need time."

Stefan looked up now. "You have all the time in the world Damon. Do whatever you want. Just don't expect me to be there to watch it."

Damon met his gaze. "I don't want it to be this way between us Stefan." His mouth twisted and he looked away as if he couldn't make the words come out of his mouth. He braced himself and turned back. This was too important to him to back away because it was tough to say. He had a bad feeling like this might be his last chance to set things right with his brother.

"You of all people should understand. You forced me to turn because you didn't want to be alone. Well, I don't want to be without you Stefan. Not anymore. I will do whatever it takes." Damon eyes burned into his brother.

Stefan's face was set in hard planes and his voice expressed his disbelief. "I don't believe you. You promised me my life would be hell and I think you're just making good on your promise. You killed my best friend. You went after the girl I loved. Lexi always swore you weren't good for me. I should have listened to her."

Damon went crazy. "SHE wasn't good for you. Her and her stupid animal blood. Look at you! Over one hundred and sixty years and you have less control than a newborn vampire."

As quickly as the anger came it seemed to drain out of him just as fast. He threw up a hand in desperation.

"Stefan I promise I will break the bond and we will search for the cure together."

"I don't care about the cure."

Damon was stunned. "Whatya mean you don't care?"

"She's not the girl I loved. I don't even recognize her anymore. You're okay with her as she is so let's leave well enough alone." Stefan practically spat the words out.

"If you don't care about her anymore than why are you going?" An exasperated Damon threw up his hands. "You make no sense."

"I can't trust you Damon. That's the bottom line." Stefan accused, his voice betraying his inner hurt for the first time.

"We can work things out." Damon promised. "You don't have to go."

Stefan smiled grimly. "Elena seemed to think so too. Thinks the three of us will be a family. Must be a doppelganger thing. So very Katherine of her."

Damon winced. "She didn't think before she spoke. She's under the influence of the si. . "

Stefan gave his brother a knowing smile. "Yeah, it's better not to finish that sentence."

"History just keeps repeating itself. Someone's got to stop it." Stefan continued, his voice cold now.

Damon extended a hand to his brother. "We can stop this together Stefan."

The hand was ignored and Damon slowly let it drop. He studied his brother closer now and smelled a telltale whiff of fresh blood he had missed before. He honed his sight in and saw a wet spot on the underside of Stefan's jean jacket sleeve.

That blood spot worried, no, scared Damon. If Stefan had fed directly from an animal or from a blood bag there would be no spillage.

"Did you drink human blood Stefan?" He asked quietly.

Stefan didn't answer him directly. "Isn't that what you always wanted brother? Isn't that what you wanted for Elena? Drink from the warm body?" His tone taunted his brother.

"You can't do this without help. You can't live with yourself if you lose control. You can't handle being a ripper again. Let me help you." Damon begged.

"Ah!" Stefan held up a cautionary finger and squinted playfully. "Wait! Wait! Yup .. I remember we've done this before too. Didn't you get Rebekah to attack someone to tempt me to drink human blood?" He pretended to think really hard. "And when I did, didn't you promise to teach me moderation?"

He laughed at Damon's evident discomfort. "Yeah, you did promise, didn't you? But you left me on my own, didn't you? Gotcha!"

Damon retaliated. "You were being a dick!"

He scrubbed his hand with his face wearily, realizing he had let himself fall into the trap Stefan set.

"Okay . . I dropped the ball but I will watch you now." Damon promised.

Stefan just shook his head looking away from his brother. His laughter had a crazy edge to it. "Ah Damon! The words just fall off your clever tongue."

Stefan stood and invited Damon. "Come on. Walk with me. Got something to show you."

Damon stood warily and motioned for his brother to go first. Stefan raised his eyebrows at him but led the way.

Damon didn't reply to Stefan's taunt. "Afraid for me to be behind you?"

They walked the length of the terminal, Stefan leading him out the automatic doors to the back parking area where the local connecting buses stopped. Damon stayed alert recognizing Stefan's cocky walk from another era.

They slipped around the corner of a building and Damon's nose picked up a coppery whiff immediately. He groaned as he caught sight of what he knew was coming. A woman sat, propped behind a dumpster. The head was set at a strange angle to the rest of the body.

"Oh Stefan." Damon shook his head sorrowfully. This was the last thing he wanted for his brother. The next moment he was gasping with pain as Stefan shoved a long wooden stake through his stomach hoisting him up off the ground.

Damon flailed helplessly, unable to slide to the end of the stake or gain enough leverage to break it off.

Stefan reached into Damon's jacket and pulled out his cell phone. Watching his brother with a cruel smile on his face he tapped out a number from memory. Damon heard him say. "Damon's at the Western Range Train Station. Out past the bus stop. He's staked and needs someone to come to his rescue. Be a good girl and come fetch." He flipped the phone off and dropped it on the ground at his brother's feet.

"Enjoy your life with your trained puppy! She's a quick learner. I'm hopin' for your sake she's already learned fetch!" He taunted cruelly.

"You can't do this brother. You can't live with yourself." Damon forced himself to speak through his pain.

Stefan dropped his scornful manner, turning deadly serious and that seriousness scared Damon more than all Stefan's posturing. "I'll live with myself for as long as I can."

"You'll never be at peace like this." Damon whispered.

The life seemed to drain out of Stefan. He looked defeated and in that defeat Damon saw his baby brother again. The brother he only wanted to protect. The brother he felt he had failed.

When Stefan spoke his voice was tired and lifeless. He held up his right hand and twisted the signet ring on his finger. "Remember Damon. Peace is always only a ring toss away."

The overhead speakers blared then. "The 1:40 train to Richmond is now arriving on track twelve."

Stefan whooshed away before the first syllable dropped from Damon's mouth. "Stefan! Stefan!"

"S – T – E – F – A – N!"

His voice echoed in the empty area, mocking him.

~ X ~

Elena arrived in record time. She smelled his blood as soon as she entered the station and quickly tracked him down. She released him and he collapsed to the ground on his hands and knees. Just pulling out the stake didn't satisfy her anger. She smashed it to pieces after offering Damon a blood bag. He quickly healed but made no move to get up.

She sank to her knees in front of him cupping his face lovingly. "He did this didn't he? Stefan did this to you."

She was furious now and asked. "Should we hate him Damon? Should we hate him now?"

Damon slowly raised his head to the concerned face anxiously waiting for his response, ready to follow his lead.

A solitary tear welled up and spilled over his lower lid, sliding down his cheek.

_This wasn't how I wanted it to be!_

~ FIN ~


End file.
